Homeland of Carnivals

Going round the world through a travel blog, in my last blog, I brought exploration to Africa, now were taking it to another amazing part of the world, all the way to south-America, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you.

Brazil…..

Home to one of the seven wonders of the world, and, Making up nearly half of South-Americas land mass.With the green field/background on the flag signifying the Amazon rain forest, the yellow diamond in the middle, signifying Brazil's wealth and abundance in gold reserves and natural resources, the blue globe with the 27 white stars and an inscription “Ordem e Progresso”, the blue globe signifies, the rivers of brazil and the sky over the country, while the stars represent the 27 states in brazil, and the inscription, is a Portuguese phrase inspired by August Comte, meaning, “order and progress”.

Whew!!, the Brazilian flag is a lot, moving on, over 98% of the population in brazil, speak their official language which is Portuguese, you can easily find English speakers at hotels and other tourist centers, but asides that, fluency is rare even to taxi drivers and street vendors.

Fun fact:Being the fifth largest country in the world, the popular Rio carnival, held in Rio de Janerio attracts over 5 milllion people from around the world for the celebration.

The history of Brazil Carnival is quite intriguing , though, the first pre-Lent carnivals happened in Italy. The word “Carnival” derives from the Latin Carne Vale, which translates to “Goodbye to Meat.” .Since then, the term carnival was used to signal the start of the 40 days abstinence period known as Lent.

Simultaneously home of the largest rain forest in the world, the Amazon rainforest, and home to one of the most dangerous places in the world, Snake Island, banned from public visit as it hosts thousands of highly venomous snakes.

Interestingly, if you're a book lover, and you get caught in an offence, you can easily read your way to freedom, as prisoners can reduce their sentences by 4 days for reading and reporting on the book they read.

Brazilian meals have traces of a blend of African and Portuguese influences. However, here are top five popular dish recommendations for you to try out when you visit Brazil .

• The profound national dish of brazil; Feijoada, slow cooked stew with various parts of pork meat and black beans.
• Next up, for meat lovers, Churrasco, slow roasted meat on open flames, this dish allows you to be served a variety of meats on ya plate.
• No three, is a famous street food, Coxinha, teardrop-shaped dough, filled with chopped spiced chicken and deep fried.

The remaining two are delicious snacks, that can serve as desserts, pastels; crispy fried pastry filled with various savory ingredients, like cheese and ground beef, the fifth, Pao de Queijo, small chewy baked cheese rolls, made from tapioca flour.

The official and only acceptable legal tender in Brazil is the Brazilian Real,(BR) which is the country’s official currency, no acceptance of dollar or euro,even in the tourism sector, though credit and debit cards are highly accepted everywhere. You can only bring your dollars and euros for exchange at the authorized exchange bureau.

Roman Catholicism is the official religion of the Brazilians, fact has it that brazil has the largest catholic population in the world, and there’s freedom for the practice of other faiths too.

well, I guess we all know, that brazil is a home of football, therefore, one of the popular outfits for both genders is the Soccer jersey.

Then specifically speaking, for the female gender, unlike some wonderful countries explored earlier, ladies are allowed to wear breathable cotton fabrics, like a bikini tops, maxi skirt, kimonos, for beach time, tank tops, jorts, maxi gowns and shorts are also allowed for casual wears.

The male gender, short/long sleeved button down shirts, chinos shorts, and even tank tops are allowed and very much suitable due to the warm weather.

Kicking off with one of the Seven wonders of the world for our tourist sites to visit, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro , a very popular must visit in Brazil, up next is the, Iguazu falls, a breathtaking water fall located on the border with Argentina.

• Another key site to visit is the, Marahnaho National part for nature lovers and last on my list is, Salvadors Pelourinho in Buhia, for art lovers, this place is filled with colonial architecture and vibrant culture, making it UNESCOs world heritage site.

We already figured out that 95% of the people in Brazil speak Portuguese, this means that only 5% of the people there can be found good in English.

Therefore, I believe you wouldn’t want language to be a barrier to enjoying your vacation, it is important that you learn few necessary Portuguese phrases, such as; Oi – Hi, Olá – Hello, Bom dia – Good morning , Boa tarde – Good afternoon, Boa noite – Good evening/night ,

Adeus – Goodbye , Por favor – Please, Obrigado/a – Thank you (Men say‘obrigado,’ women say ‘obrigada, De nada – You’re welcome, Com licença – Excuse me, Desculpe – Sorry/Excuse me , Sim/Não – Yes/No etc.

Additionally, Do well to pack sunscxreens, caps, and shades for sun protection.

• Greet with handshakes for men and kisses on the cheeks for women, 
•  Leave small tips for places like bars and restaurants etc
• Be open to invitations and social activities, such as games, but maintain cautiousness

Avoid being too blunt with your words, it may seem like an insult

• As a tourist, avoid driving, it is advisable to take public transports instead, as road rules are complicated.
• In as much as it is allowed to wear breathable clothes, avoid wearing revealing clothing's to religious sites.
• Avoid debating politics or boasting about Argentina, as it is thought to be Brazil’s rival.

Beware of pickpockets, that’s why you're advised not to wear fancy valuables that are too shouty.

Enjoy your staycation in one of natures most gifted places, Adeus!!!